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Tough draw for the team of Pep Guardiola
Football6 min read

Tough draw for the team of Pep Guardiola

A

Anna Petrova

Everton F.C. and Manchester City F.C. played out a dramatic 3:3 draw on May 4, 2026, in one of the wildest Premier League matches of the season. The game completely changed momentum several times, with both teams making major defensive mistakes and producing moments of individual quality.

Manchester City opened the scoring shortly before halftime through Jérémy Doku. He received the ball on the left side, cut inside toward the center, and was given too much space by Everton’s defense. None of the defenders stepped out aggressively to close him down, allowing him to fire a precise shot into the corner. It was a classic Doku goal quick movement, direct dribbling, and a powerful finish from outside the box.

Everton equalized after a huge defensive error from City. Marc Guéhi attempted a back pass that was far too weak and misplaced, allowing Thierno Barry to intercept it easily. Barry stayed calm in front of goal and finished confidently past the goalkeeper. The goal completely changed the atmosphere of the match and gave Everton momentum.

Soon after, Everton took the lead through Jake O’Brien from a set piece. City defended the cross very poorly, losing their marking inside the penalty area. O’Brien was left almost completely unchallenged and headed the ball into the net. It highlighted City’s struggles defending aerial situations and dead-ball deliveries throughout the game.

Everton then made it 3:1 with Barry scoring again. The goal came from a chaotic situation inside the box after City failed to clear the ball properly. Everton reacted faster to the loose ball while City’s defenders hesitated and lost their positioning. Barry took advantage of the confusion and finished from close range, leaving City looking shaken and disorganized defensively.
At 3:1, Everton seemed in complete control, but the match turned again almost immediately. Erling Haaland scored City’s second goal after Everton failed to reorganize defensively following the restart. City attacked quickly, found space behind Everton’s defensive line, and Haaland punished them clinically. Everton lost concentration for a moment, and City immediately took advantage.
The equalizer came deep into stoppage time through Doku once again. City pushed everyone forward in desperation while Everton dropped very deep into their own half trying to protect the lead. The ball eventually reached Doku outside the penalty area, but no Everton player stepped out quickly enough to block him. He produced a brilliant finish into the corner to make it 3:3. Jordan Pickford had little chance of saving it due to the accuracy and power of the shot.

Overall, the match was defined by defensive mistakes, momentum swings, and individual brilliance. Everton punished City’s errors extremely well and looked close to a famous victory, but they became too passive after going 3:1 ahead. Manchester City showed resilience and attacking quality late in the game, with Doku ultimately rescuing a point in dramatic fashion.